Marilyn Ferraro lives alone and needs help doing things aroundthe house.
She hired Chris Mazza to clean out the garage of her Green Treehome. Laid off from his job at U.S. Food Service two years ago,Mazza vowed he'd never again work for anyone but himself. He tookdecades of experience in customer service and started "As You Wish,"an errand and handyman service in the South Hills.
He offers help with prescription drug and dry cleaning pickup ordelivery, auto detailing, house sitting, meal delivery, lawnmaintenance, house cleaning and snow removal, among other things.He'll even wait for a delivery, scheduled repair or installation.
Ferraro quickly hired him for yard work and plans to utilize hisservices to clean out the garage of her Green Tree home.
"Chris has caught on to a great idea here, and he's providing avery valuable service to people like me," said Ferraro, 61.
As unemployment grows, the number of people startingentrepreneurial businesses is bound to rise, said Shaun Seydor,associate director of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence,which is affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. KatzGraduate School of Business.
"We're a very connected, very busy society, and we need ourancillary needs met, so it makes sense that there would be a nichemarket for a business like this," Seydor said.
It's hard to track how many errand services exist in thePittsburgh market, because no state agency requires businesses suchas Mazza's to register. To protect himself and those who hire him,Mazza said he's bonded and insured.
Audrey Guskey, associate professor of marketing at DuquesneUniversity, believes errand-running services are catching on inPittsburgh and growing by today's version of word-of-mouth.
"When someone finds a great service provider, they want to tellother people, but they used to do it by just mentioning it to afriend in line at the grocery store," Guskey said. "The beautifulpart about today's world is that word is spread through Facebook andTwitter, and you have people blogging on the Internet. These typesof businesses really grow by referral."
Becky Hughes decided to target her business, Becky's Delivery &Errand Services, to workers in the Marcellus shale gas drillingbusiness in Washington, Fayette and Greene counties. She suppliesfood, prescriptions, dry cleaning, movies, books, alcohol andtobacco to workers at a job site or hotel or RV park. She offersthem laundry service and taxi service.
For a broader base of clients, she will run errands such asdiaper delivery for moms, or help elderly people get to medicalappointments. Her services start at $5 and rise depending on thedistance she must travel.
"I wanted my own business, and this one seemed like it had somany options that the sky would be the limit," Hughes said. "TheMarcellus shale workers told me that when they were in other statesat other job sites, these services were available."
Becky Maier, spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau ofPittsburgh, said anyone hiring a service provider should becautious. In addition to word-of-mouth recommendations and checkinga person's references, clients should check for a history ofcomplaints and use common sense when letting someone into theirhomes.
"Make sure your personal papers and items are safe and tuckedaway, and if ever you feel you've been taken advantage of, file acomplaint," Maier said.
Mazza, 46, of Castle Shannon started his business this spring. Heoperates mostly by customer references and leaflets he circulated,and he decorated a small trailer he uses to transport supplies withhis company name. He works weekdays, charging a $25 hourly fee witha one-hour minimum, and then bills in 15-minute increments.
He grew up in Northern California and started working at age 15in his parents' beauty supply store. He spent two decades in foodsales and service, and moved to Pittsburgh in 2004.
"I know how to treat people," Mazza said. "You put them first.We've all called a company and had them put you on hold or hang upon you, or tell you that it will be hours or days before they canfix your problem or get out to your house to see you. They make youfeel like you don't matter.
"No matter how much money you're paying, you should feelimportant. I understand that, and that's the concept behind mybusiness."
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